The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a backside cover of a camera.
A locking mechanism for locking a backside cover in the closed state is provided for cameras. It is common that the locking mechanism comprises a fixed locking member on either one of a camera main body or a backside cover, and a movable locking member on the other one to be movable between the locking position for engagement with the fixed locking member and the unlocking position for disengagement therefrom. The movable locking member is biased toward the locking position in this kind of the locking mechanism. The movable locking member can be arranged to retract in the unlocking direction by contact with the fixed locking member during the course of closure of the backside cover. If the force for closing the backside cover is weak or insufficient, the fixed locking member may be sandwiched between the movable locking member and an adjacent member without establishing the complete engagement with the movable locking member, and held in that state due to the biasing force for the movable locking member. This incomplete closing of the backside cover looks as if the backside cover is closed, but actually the backside cover is not locked. This incomplete closing leads to problems that the backside cover is unintentionally opened during photographing to expose a film, and the backside cover is opened during the carriage of the camera to damage mechanisms inside the camera or the backside cover. Moreover, the incomplete closing of the backside cover is highly liable to malfunction the switch for electrically detecting the opening or closing of the backside cover.